carotid sinus

An enlargement at the bifurcation of each carotid artery that is supplied with sensory nerve endings and plays a role in reflex control of blood pressure.

Carotid Sinus

(bulbus caroticus, sinus caroticus, the dilated area of the common carotid artery before bifurcation into its external and internal branches.

The carotid sinus is an important reflexogenic zone that plays a part in maintaining the constancy of arterial pressure, heart action, and blood gases content; it is the site of baroreceptors, which react to changes in blood pressure, and chemoreceptors, which react to changes in the chemical composition of the blood and in oxygen tension. The carotid sinus is innervated by the sensory branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve (sinus nerve, Hering’s nerve). Excitation of the nerve endings in the carotid sinus is the first link in the chain of the carotid reflexes.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.